UNLOCK Blockchain Forum

Additional Info

About event:

Why UNLOCK 2019

Blockchain is here to stay and is growing. Blockchain is set to have a market size of 2.5 trillion by 2021 from its current 548.2 billion in 2018. Over the last five years venture capitalists have invested more than $3 billion in Blockchain projects. Over 90% of the banking industry is studying Blockchain initiatives, and governments around the world are setting up regulatory and legislative policies to tackle the issues arising from this new force-field.

According to market research Blockchain use cases are developing across 20 industry verticals most notably in supply chain, identity, security, financial services-commerce, and infrastructure.

For these reasons and more, we are holding the second edition of UNLOCK in Dubai UAE on January 15th-16th 2019 at the Ritz Carlton Hotel DIFC.

UNLOCK 2019 Themes

ICOs, Crypto-currencies, and the future of exchanges in a regulated World

Scalability Interoperability and speed of Blockchain

Governments and the Blockchain

Investing in Blockchain

Utilizing Blockchain for Trade, supply chain and businesses

The Future of Blockchain

Tokenization of Everything in a Digital Economy

AI and Blockchain

Blockchain and privacy

Blockchain and Payments

Blockchain in transportation and energy

Blockchain as a Service and the role of telecom, cloud solution providers

Digital Identity and Blockchain

Expo 2020 in Dubai with Blockchain, AI, 3D and Big Data

Why Dubai and MENA region

UNLOCK is proud to be organizing the second edition of UNLOCK in Dubai. Dubai and the UAE were pioneers in terms of embracing Blockchain as a means to create a more efficient and optimal government service. Today Dubai is implementing 20 Blockchain case studies and the UAE has forged ahead with its Blockchain strategy to have 50% of governmental services on the Blockchain by 2021.

In addition countries across the GCC and MENA region are developing strategies when it comes to Blockchain. Bahrain is working on its Fintech sandboxes which include crypto-currency exchanges and startups. KSA is also on the path to implementing Blockchain in its 2030 strategy with organizations such as KSA Riyadh Municipality, STC and SAMA.

As such the MENA region is ripe for not only Blockchain use cases but also a growing Blockchain ecosystem scene in terms of startups and investors.

Event program:

DAY ONE: 2019-01-15

08:30

AMRegistration & Morning Coffee 30 minutes

09:00

AMWelcome Speech 10 minutes

09:10

AMKeynote Speech 20 minutes

09:30

AMPanel 1: ICOs, Crypto-currencies and the Future of Exchanges in a Regulated World. 45 minutes

The panel will review the current state of ICO market, crypto-currencies/tokens (security or utility) and exchanges. Regulations and legislations are key elements for the future of Blockchain ecosystem. Countries globally and in MENA region either have initiated legal and regulatory standards or have issued studies in this regards.

AMUnlock Chat: The Advent of Scalable and Interoperable Blockchain is it near? 30 minutes

In 2019, most of Blockchain projects will move from proof of concept into full production mode, upon this, not only will scalability be the main issue but interoperability and speed. How well advanced are we today in connecting Blockchains together as well as with legacy systems? Can we bring the Blockchain world together to work seamlessly and more efficiently or will we have siloes of Blockchains with varying efficiencies?

12:00

PMPanel 2: How are Governments utilizing Blockchain today? 45 minutes

This panel will discuss the movement of institutional investors into the Blockchain sphere whether they are investing in crypto-currencies or ICOs. Today Crypto Funds are on the rise. The question what effect will they have on the current climate. Who will be funding the next round of ICOs? Will there still be ICOs? What do institutional and family offices want from the Blockchain ecosystem?

As many, know when money moves faster between buyers and sellers, when supply chains are transparent, efficient and secure, and when businesses can be set up in the push of a button, trade and economies will grow and propel innovation and the movement of goods and services. This session will discuss how Blockchain can improve the economic environment and build a more connected well cohesive world trade.

02:45

PMKeynote Speech 15 minutes

03:00

PMNetworking Coffee Break /Announcements 20 minutes

03:20

PMPanel 5: Tokenizing everything, why do it? 40 minutes

Today at the center of most Blockchain discussions is the topic of tokenization. The tokenization of physical and digital assets onto the Blockchain will enable the physical world of today to mesh into the digital. Questions as to what will this mean for business, economies, and even social lives is still not been fully understood. This session will open up the discussion on what it means to tokenize, why it should be done and the final results of a tokenized world.

04:00

PMKeynote Speech 20 minutes

08:30

PMOnwards Cocktails and Entertainment reception1 hour and 30 minutes

DAY TWO: 2019-01-16

08:30

AMNetworking Breakfast1 hour

09:30

AMPanel 6: If I were an AI & you were a Blockchain, how would we Tango in a Smart City? 45 minutes

This panel will discuss how artificial Intelligence and Blockchain technologies can work together to enhance the efficiencies and quality of offerings in Smart Cities given the data generated from Blockchain and the predictive analytics derived from AI.

Privacy, security of data, and the latest GDPR compliance law in EU have opened up Pandora’s box as to whether the Blockchain were data is immutable and can never be erased actually infringes on privacy rather than protecting it. This chat will talk about privacy and security in the era of Blockchain and AI.

Blockchain’s largest implementations have been in payments whether with traditional banking or Fintech startups. Today governments are using Blockchain for settlement and consolidation between their accounts, as things develop, this will go beyond to reach the everyday citizen. Other sectors such as tourism and hospitality are exploring the Blockchain settlement process. Payments is becoming as easy and as common as getting out of bed. What will happen in the era of seamless efficient payments and what challenges are still being faced?

12:15

PMPanel 8: State of Blockchain in transportation and energy sector. 45 minutes

Transportation and the energy sectors are key pillars in any economy. Bringing efficiency to these sectors is of great relevance. With the advent of Blockchain how will the energy and transportation sector utilize this technology to better serve customers and the economy

01:00

PMLunch and networking 1 hour

02:00

PMPanel 9: The role of Telecom operators/ Cloud providers in Blockchain as a service. 45 minutes

For many, Blockchain is not only a technical, skill intensive project but also a costly one. Telco operators, cloud providers, governments, and Blockchain technology providers are coming up with models that will help alleviate that, with concepts such as Blockchain as a service or Blockchain on the cloud. Should entities explore BAAS or should they build their own? Which one is more beneficial, secure and in what cases applicable?

02:45

PMPanel 10: Blockchain Digitizing Identity: The future of a digital life. 45 minutes

In this panel discussion, we imagine a world where we are all on the digital plane from the moment we are born to the day we die, where all that we own, the means we use to buy and sell and get paid have identities on the Blockchain what will this look like, how will we interact with the physical world and can we tell the difference?